34. God Chooses a King

1 Samuel 16

One day God sent his messenger Samuel to visit Jesse, a man who lived in Bethlehem. Jesse’s grandparents were Ruth and Boaz. “I have chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king of Israel,” God told Samuel.

When Samuel arrived, he saw Jesse’s son Eliab. Samuel thought Eliab looked like a king. But God said to Samuel, “You care about what people look like, but I care about what someone is really like, on the inside. I have not chosen Eliab to be king.”

Next came Jesse’s son Abinadab. God did not choose him. Then came Shammah. God did not choose him. Then came four more sons. God did not choose any of them.

“Do you have any more sons?” Samuel asked Jesse.

“I have one more, the youngest,” answered Jesse. “He is out looking after the sheep.” Jesse sent someone to fetch him.

His name was David. When David came in, God told Samuel, “This is the one I have chosen.”

So Samuel poured oil over David’s head to show that he would be the next king. And God poured his Spirit into David to make him ready to be the next king.

35. David and Goliath

1 Samuel 17

The Israelites were in big trouble. The Philistines had attacked, and the Philistines had a hero – a huge, huge, huge soldier called Goliath. He was nearly as tall as one normal man standing on another normal man’s shoulders.

“I will fight any of you,” Goliath shouted at the Israelite army. “If I lose, we will be your slaves. But if I win, you will be our slaves.”

The Israelites were too scared to fight Goliath. Even King Saul was too scared.

David’s big brothers were Israelite soldiers. One day he visited them and heard Goliath shouting. “I will go and fight him,” said David.

Goliath’s clothes were made of metal and weighed the same as seventeen bricks.

David just wore a cloak.

Goliath had a massive sword and a monstrous spear and a mighty shield.

David had a small sling and five stones.

When Goliath saw David, he laughed.

David answered, “You have weapons, but I have God.

God will give me victory over you.”

David hurled a stone from his sling...

It hit Goliath.

And down he fell. Dead.

The Israelites chased the Philistines as they ran away.

God’s people were not scared anymore – Goliath was dead, David had won, and now they were free!